The best MTB trails around PP Vltava u Blanského lesa

Here stands the oldest stone observation tower in Bohemia; it was built in the years 1822-25 by Josef Johann Nepomuk von Schwarzenberg and has a height of 18 meters and a great view.

The observatory is the highest observatory in Bohemia at a height of 1070 m. It was built by astronomers themselves between 1958 and 1961 and has the largest lens telescope in the Czech Republic.

The Czech name of the mountain is Kleť, in German it is called Schöninger.

The castle tower of Český Krumlov offers breathtaking views. You can see the Vltava River meandering around the old town, hundreds of historic buildings and bridges, as well as extensive parks and gardens. It is worth climbing the 162 steps.

Český Krumlov is a castle converted into a palace on a rocky outcrop above the left bank of the Vltava. With an area of more than six hectares, it is the second largest castle and palace complex in Bohemia (after Prague Castle). It is the most visited tourist destination in South Bohemia. In 1992, the entire historical complex of the castle and the urban surroundings were added to the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. The castle area is one of the largest in Central Europe in terms of area. It includes forty buildings and palace structures with five castle courtyards and the seven-hectare castle garden.

The town of Český Krumlov originally had nine main gates, of which the youngest, Budějovická brána, is the only one that has survived. In the first half of the 19th century, all other town gates were demolished because their arched passages hindered the flow of traffic. However, the Budweis Gate met the traffic requirements and was able to remain standing.

The Budweis Gate is a two-storey, four-sided tower, which has the character of a fortress on the outer north side and whose square facade with a pointed tower edge is covered by a protective wall with a battlement. On the side of the gate facing the city, however, there is a red-coloured facade and fresco decoration with various painted Renaissance ornaments. In 1934, when the bridge was extended, a pedestrian passage was built on the east side, and in the 1960s on the west side as well. In 1996, the eastern passage in the gate was covered again when the bridge was repaired.

The Budějovická Gate (Budějovická brána) was built between 1598 and 1602 on a rocky outcrop above the Polečnicí River. It is the youngest and only surviving gate of the original medieval town fortifications. Together with the neighbouring buildings of the former St. Elisabeth Hospital, it forms a clear visual landmark when entering the town from the north side over the stone four-arch bridge. The gate was built by Petr Vok of Rosenberg, who donated it to the town in return for a promise to maintain it permanently. The architect was probably Dominico Benedetto Cometta of Eckthurn.